Mount Rushmore Memorial Events

The visitor facilities at Mount Rushmore National Memorial are open all year, seven days a week, with the exception of December 25th.

The grounds at Mount Rushmore are open the following hours:

October 1 - March 11 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

March 12 - September 30 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Evening Lighting Ceremony

October 1 - May 25 No Evening Lighting Ceremony, but Sculpture is illuminated nightly.

May 26 - mid August Nightly at 9:00 p.m.

mid August - September 30 Nightly at 8:00 p.m.

Sculpture Illumination

October 1 - March 10 Sunset to 9:00 p.m.

March 11 - May 24 Sunset to 11:00 p.m.

May 25 - August 11 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

August 12- September 30 8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Operating hours are listed below:

Information Center and Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center

October 1 - May 25 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

May 26 - mid August 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Sculptor's Studio

October 14 - mid May Closed for season

mid May - September Open, hours to be determined

Lakota, Nakota, and Dakota Heritage Village

August 14 - early June- Closed for season

Audio Tour Building

October 1 - late May Audio Tour rentals available in Information Center bookstore from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m

Gift Shop

November 5 - March 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

March - October Open daily at 8:00 a.m., closing time to be determined.

Carvers Cafe

October 1 - March 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

March - October Open daily at 8:00 a.m., closing time to be determined.

Ice Cream

October 1 - March available in Carver's CafeMarch-October Open daily, hours to be determined.

Did You Know?

The figure of Thomas Jefferson was originally started on Washington's right side. After 18 months of carving the figure of Jefferson had to be blasted off the mountain and restarted on Washington's left side.